1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a vacuum apparatus including a downwardly opening housing of generally circular plan shape and having a bladed rotor journalled therein. The lower end of the housing is partially closed by an annular lower end wall disposed below the rotor and the housing includes depending skirt portions supported from the housing and extending thereabout. The skirt portions including a forward transverse wall generally tangential to the forward inner periphery of the annular lower end wall, opposite side front-to-rear extending walls substantially tangential to the opposite side of the housing and rearwardly convergent rear walls extending from the rear ends of the sidewalls to the rear proportion of the inner periphery of the annular lower end wall. The annular lower end wall serves to concentrate the debris lifting force of the vacuum in the central area of the swath covered by the housing during its forward movement and the skirt shield serves to generate strong opposite side lateral inward air currents to thereby effectively remove even heavy lawn debris throughout the entire width of the swath covered by the housing and not merely the central portion of the swath of the housing defined by the inner periphery of the lower end wall.
2. Description of Related Art
Various different forms of lawn vacuum devices and other similar structures heretofore have been provided such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,706,372, 2,807,126, 2,957,295, 3,367,091, 3,680,295, 3,706,189, 4,121,405, 4,205,510 and 4,411,215. However, these previously known forms of vacuum devices have not been specifically designed to provide maximum debris removing air flow throughout the entire width of the swaths covered thereby.